Really the best place in the US is Dickblick.com. You have a choice between windsor-newton, raphael and DaVinci. My favorites are the DaVinci. There are a number of cheaper kolinsky alternatives out there but again you get what you pay for and if you are going to get a tool you should stretch and get the best tool you can.

* 50 Shades of Alien Greys

* It's NOT denial. I'm just very selective about the reality I accept. -- Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
* Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
* We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. Winston Churchill
* Tardis Express: When it absolutely, positively, has to be there yesterday
* My two hobby blog; Wargames and Railroads

Reaper's Kolinsky brushes are fairly low cost, and you can get free shipping with a $25 order if you buy from Reaper or Miniature-Giant. As I recall, both Anne Foerster and Derek Schubert have used these brushes, so obviously not too bad a choice.

I haven't made much use of the Reaper Kolinsky brush I own, but not because I don't like it. Rather, I bought some Raphael 8404s and W&N Series 7s in sizes I prefer, and those are what I've been using. I got them from Dick Blick. The Reaper is waiting for its turn to shine.

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. (Leonard Nimoy)Live long and prosper. (Mr. Spock)

SerenityAll I want is to have my peace of mind. (Boston)Time and time again I've thanked them for a peace of mind. (The Outlaws, Green Grass and High Tides)

Just because the label says Kolinsky Sable doesn't mean that the brush is well suited for details work.

Winsor & Newton makes 3 grades of Kolinsky Sable brushes. The high end is the Series 7. The middle is the Watercolour series. The low end is the Cirrus. Based on my trial, there is a vast difference in feel, snap, and ability to keep a point between the Series 7 and the Cirrus. I'd rather use a decent synthetic than the Cirrus except for terrain. The Watercolour and the Citadel branded brush (made by W&N) fall somewhere in between.

You're better off spending a little more to get a good brush, especially if you are buying several at a time from Dick Blick. My favorite is the Da Vinci Maestro Series 11. I also like the Raphael 8404 and 8408

* Michael's is currently having a 40% off your entire purchase of art supplies, including brushes. If you haven't bought your matte, flow aid, and brush soap, buy them and add a detail (spotter) brush, and size 0 brush. Michael's brushes aren't as good as hobby brushes, but you won't be paying much, anyway.

* Reaper Learn to Paint Kits 1 and 2 have brushes. I doubt they're sable quality, but if you're a n00b and also need paints, might as well start here.

* Reaper Learn to Paint Kits 1 and 2 have brushes. I doubt they're sable quality, but if you're a n00b and also need paints, might as well start here.

Can any of the Reaper peeps (or anyone else who knows), tell us more about these brushes, please. I'm waiting for kits 1 & 2 to make their way across the Atlantic to me. I'm wondering, what these brushes are like and if I should think about getting other brushes.

I'm hoping to limit myself to the included brushes when I start the L2P series, especially for metallics. I don't want to sully my good brush with metal flake! Not much help until I get to that, I know...

As far as brushed go, I went through $50 of cheap brushes before I finally broke down and bought a W&N Series 7 size 2 brush that I've used for almost everything since (I used a Series 7 size 0 for about 2% of my last mini). The difference in quality is striking, and if you take care of them (get some master's brush soap and use it) they will last you for a long time.

High quality brushes are a better value over time. They will last longer, thus cost less; and the time you spend using them will be a superior experience. Cheap brushes aren't worth the money imo.

Good point that you'll want a second set of brushes (and rinse water) for metal paints. I read that metal flakes can get into the bristles and come out at the worst times when painting. As a n00b, I haven't had that experience personally. You will also need brushes for drybrushing and these brushes will get trashed. I made mistakes with my brushes (using metal paints with my my non-metal brushes and paint on the ferrule and smashing the bristles against the rinse jar to get rid of paint and YEAH DON'T DO THAT), so I'm still fine with suggesting cheap brushes until mistakes are no longer made or March comes in...

Yes, its a good idea to have a second set of brushes. But I have freely gone back and forth between metallics and regular paint with the same brush and even the same rinse water without a problem. Not that I would recommend it, its just what I do.

Goblyn likes this

* 50 Shades of Alien Greys

* It's NOT denial. I'm just very selective about the reality I accept. -- Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
* Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
* We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. Winston Churchill
* Tardis Express: When it absolutely, positively, has to be there yesterday
* My two hobby blog; Wargames and Railroads

* Reaper Learn to Paint Kits 1 and 2 have brushes. I doubt they're sable quality, but if you're a n00b and also need paints, might as well start here.

Can any of the Reaper peeps (or anyone else who knows), tell us more about these brushes, please. I'm waiting for kits 1 & 2 to make their way across the Atlantic to me. I'm wondering, what these brushes are like and if I should think about getting other brushes.

Reaper's Kolinsky brushes are okay, but not superb. I add them to orders here and there to keep a stock of "utility" Kolinskys, and even with proper care they never seem to last especially long.

But the W&N Series 7's? Indestructible. I'm still using the two I bought 3 years ago.

So how brushes break down for me is so:

- golden taklons/synthetics: absolutely brutal grunt work. Whatever I think is going to destroy a brush, these get the job. I pretty much consider them one-use. Best application: use the 5/0 and 10/0 for drybrushing small areas. Advantage: cheapest brushes to buy.

- red sables: hard duty but more useful than taklons and last longer. Best application: basecoating areas of significant size/basecoating metallics.

Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH', the paint wouldn't even have time to dry.
-- Terry Pratchett

In the last three months I have painted over 100 miniatures with by DaVinci Kolinsky brush (a #1) that is already two years old. I can't even tell you how many miniatures I have painted, primarily, with that brush since I got it. As a historical miniature painter rolling through 300 - 400 15mm miniatures in the space of a couple months is not unusual.

* 50 Shades of Alien Greys

* It's NOT denial. I'm just very selective about the reality I accept. -- Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
* Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
* We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. Winston Churchill
* Tardis Express: When it absolutely, positively, has to be there yesterday
* My two hobby blog; Wargames and Railroads